Echo's First Christmas
by Katla1
Summary: Echo Zane spent most of his life in an abandoned lighthouse before he was rescued by the ninja, and he is now spending his very first Christmas with them. Jay and Cole are determined to make it the best first Christmas ever. (A Christmas one-shot. Shamelessly fluffy. No slash.)


**AN: Merry Christmas everybody! A special shout out to my sister, Little Canadian, who loves Echo Zane and has adopted him as her son. :P Months ago she told me she wanted me to write an Echo Zane fanfiction for her, so I decided to try to surprise her with one for Christmas. So here is an AU of sorts in which they went back for Echo after the events of Season 6: Skybound. I had a great time writing it, and I'm actually proud of it to the point of tearing up while re-reading it. I hope you enjoy, sis!**

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Classic Christmas carols played in the background over the loud speakers on the Destiny's Bounty. The Ninja all bustled around the flying ship, decorating it for the most special holiday of the year. Lloyd and Zane dropped off some boxes in the warm, cheery Tv room, where Cole and Jay were starting to set things up. Cole went over to the boxes to open them.

The room already contained a Christmas vibe from the lights tracing the edges of the room. Jay finished hanging a string of them over the doorway, tapping the bulbs and smiling softly when they flickered from his elemental powers. He turned around and nearly slammed head first into Echo Zane's face. The nindroid had taken to walking on the ceilings to avoid being bumped about by the others.

Jay jumped. "Oh, hi Echo," he smiled.

"Hello, Jay."

Jay walked over to one of the boxes and pulled out an extension cord. Cole tapped Echo's head amiably in passing and got up on tip-toe to tack tinsel around the edges of the ceiling, seeing as he was the only one tall enough to reach that high.

"What are all the decorations for?" Echo asked, watching the two as they worked.

"Christmas, silly!" Cole chuckled.

"What is Christmas?"

Both Jay and Cole turned to stare at him with expressions of utter disbelief.

"You don't know what Christmas is?" Jay uttered in shock.

"No. Should I?" Echo tilted his head.

"I don't know," Jay admitted. "I thought it was impossible to not know about Christmas."

"This Christmas did not happen at the light house."

"Someone help him!" Cole exclaimed. He beamed. "Don't worry, kid! If this is your first Christmas, I'm gonna show you all there is about it. I'm a Christmas expert!"

"No you're not," Jay rolled his eyes.

"Sure I am! Come on, Jay, lets both show him what Christmas is all about."

Jay smiled at Echo. "Sure thing. We'll make sure this is your best first Christmas, ever!"

Echo beamed, eyes sparkling.

"So," Cole said, standing back on his toes in order to tackle the tinsel. "First thing's first, Christmas is a holiday that comes once a year in the winter. It's a time to get together and show your family how much you care about them. Family is the most important part of Christmas."

"And every night before Christmas when you go to sleep," Jay grinned. "Santa sneaks into your house and gives you presents!"

Echo tilted his head the other way. "How does he get in? Is he a Ninja?"

"Santa isn't real, Jay." Cole said.

"Yes he is!

"Only kids believe in Santa."

"Not true." Jay scoffed. He turned to Echo. "Only good kids get presents from Santa. Bad kids get _coal_ for Christmas." He snickered and elbowed Cole in the ribs. Cole sent him a disgruntled look over his shoulder. Echo giggled.

"Har har, Jay the Master Comedian." Cole went to fetch something more from the box.

A grunt sounded from the doorway, accompanied by lots of rustling. Echo left the ceiling to stand beside Jay. Lloyd shoved a large Christmas tree through the door, nearly tripping when he finally made it through. He carried it to the far corner of the room, the fir towering over him and his face smooshed in the branches, and tried to set it down in the corner by the Tv. The tree's bulk forced him to lean back, causing him to tip off balance.

"Woah, buddy!" Cole rushed over to help him, hoisting the tree up with one hand and stabilising Lloyd with the other.

Jay glanced over his shoulder at the others in the room, looked around the corner, then pulled a small plant with white berries out of his pocket.

"What is that?" Echo gazed curiously at the tiny plant in Jay's hand.

"Mistletoe," Jay explained, reaching up to pin it to the top of the doorway.

"May I ask what it is for?"

Jay gazed dreamily up at the simple clipping of greenery tacked to the top doorpost. "It's another Christmas tradition. If you stand underneath it in the doorway with someone, you have to kiss them."

Echo looked up at the mistletoe, then at Jay, before leaning forward and giving him a peck on the cheek.

Jay jumped. "What was that for?"

"You said if you stood under it with someone, you had to kiss them." Echo looked confused by Jay's reaction.

Jay chuckled awkwardly and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, I know, but... try to save it for someone you really, _really_ love, okay?"

"Okay." The confused expression remained on the nindroid's face. Did not everyone on the team really love each other?

"Hello boys." Misako greeted from the hall and unwittingly stepped under a certain plant. She turned to Jay. "Do you happen to know where the rest of the wrapping paper is?"

As Jay tried to think of where he had last seen the Christmas paper, Echo stared at the side of Misako's head. He looked at the mistletoe she stood directly under. He looked at her. He looked at the mistletoe. He looked at her.

"Thank you, Jay," Misako smiled, briefly turning to look at Echo.

Echo quickly backed away.

"Talk to you both later." She left to find the wrapping paper.

Cole and Lloyd finished securing the Christmas tree, which smelled of snow and forest needles. Lloyd dusted his hands off and made his way over to the doorway. "Hey Zane!" He shouted. "Do you see the box of tree ornaments?"

"Right here!" Zane called from down the hall. He walked in carrying the desired box. Echo smiled and kissed his cheek as soon as he stepped under the doorpost. Zane paused and smiled back at him. "What was that for?"

Echo pointed to the plant overhead. "You stepped under mistletoe," he said cheerily, "and you are my brother and I love you."

The other three Ninja in the room failed to suppress an, "Aaww!"

Zane chuckled, deciding not to tell his younger brother that the kiss was usually meant for a young woman with the misfortune of being caught underneath. "Thank you, Echo." He walked over to the tree, Echo in tow, and set the box down.

"Thanks Zane!" Lloyd dove for the ornaments, pulling out some glass baubles delicately packed on top.

"Lights first!" Jay shouted, dashing over with a bundle of them.

As Jay and Lloyd ran around the tree, winding it up with lights from top to bottom as fast as they could, Echo asked, "What is the tree for?"

"It's to put the presents under," Cole explained. "And it looks and smells nice - if you get a real one instead of some old plastic one, that is."

Now that the tree was strung up, Lloyd plugged in the lights. Echo beamed as they lit up in green, white, yellow, blue, and red. The rainbow light painted the walls and sparkled in the nindroid's eyes.

"There is a coloured light for each of us!" Echo noted cheerfully.

"Uh, not me." Cole pointed out.

"There you are." Echo pointed to a bulb that had blinked out.

Zane laughed, and Cole's thick brows lowered over his eyes in an expression that said, "Not funny".

Lloyd chuckled and pinched the dead bulb so it shone to life again. Then he went back to the box and pulled out the baubles again, hanging them on the tips of the branches.

Echo plucked a frosted glass ball with snowflakes suspended inside from the box. He hung it gingerly next to ones Lloyd had hanged.

The team leader smiled at the young nindroid. "Feel free to help. There's plenty to put up."

Gleefully, Echo dedicated himself to hanging as many ornaments on the tree as he could, picking out two or even three at a time. Jay sat next to the box, reminiscing on the sentiment of each ornament and handing them to Lloyd and Echo when they reached for more. The newspaper packed in the box rustled, smelling slightly musty, as Jay dug through it. Zane went to leave the room.

"Come Cole, help me take the rest of the boxes down."

"Sure thing." Cole followed him out.

"This your first Christmas, Echo?" Lloyd asked, hanging a red and white striped bauble. It dipped dangerously, and he hung it farther back on the branch.

"Yes." Echo nodded, decking the back of the tree with a glass ninja and plastic candy cane.

"Well, this has got to be one of my favourite parts of Christmas." The corner of Lloyd's mouth turned up. He took the glass bird that Jay held out. When Echo stepped over to the box to grab another decoration, Lloyd peered around the back of the tree where Echo had been working. "Wow, you've put up a lot already. Good job."

Echo grinned, and a split second later the ornament in his hand slipped from his fingers and shattered on the floor.

"Oh no!"

"Echo!" Lloyd moaned. He moved to pick up the pieces, in the process knocking one of his own ornaments off its branch and sending it crashing to the floor with a tinkling smash.

"Oh. Oops." He said, staring at the mess.

"That's another Christmas tradition!" Cole beamed as he walked back in with a box on each of his broad shoulders. "You have to break at least one every year. Especially when there are little kids like you two around."

Lloyd smiled and shook his head, and Echo relaxed. The Green Ninja slapped a hand on the nindroid's shoulder. "Don't worry about it. I'll clean it up. You keep decorating."

Just then Gizmo rolled into the room, beeping softly to announce his arrival, and beat Lloyd to the shattered glass. He swept it up and left, but not before Echo patted him on top of the head. He and Lloyd turned their attention back to sprucing up the tree. Cole got down next to Jay and opened up the two new boxes.

Soon the first box was almost empty. Lloyd lifted out the large gold star, fingering the smooth, pointed edges. He turned to the tree and got on his tip-toes in an attempt to place it on the top. He grunted as he tilted and almost fell into the branches. He stretched his arms as far as he could, but fell back with a sigh of defeat.

"Ha ha!" Jay laughed. "Shorty!"

"I'm taller than you!" Lloyd retorted over his shoulder.

Jay snickered anyway.

"May I?" Lloyd turned to Echo as he reached for the star. Lloyd held it out to him, and with a comically serious expression, Echo took it and walked over to the wall. He proceeded to trek up the side, his path taking him onto the ceiling. Upside down, he walked to the spot right above the tree, reached down, and set the star on its perch on the top branch.

"There!" He nodded, satisfied.

"That was awesome!" Jay said.

Lloyd grinned. "Great job Echo!"

Echo beamed like a little Christmas bat.

Lloyd scanned the tree, hands on hips. "Well, the tree is pretty much done. We can put presents under it now!"

"The most important part of Christmas!" Cole cheered from where he sat next to the boxes with Jay.

"I thought you said family was the most important?" Echo looked concerned.

"I made a mistake. Family's the second most important."

"Cole!" Jay and Lloyd snapped in unison.

"He won't know you're teasing!" Jay shoved Cole's rock solid shoulder.

"I'm joking! I'm joking!" Cole brushed off his shoulder. "Sorry, Echo. You're right, family _always_ comes first."

"Okay, good." Echo seemed contented by the answer. He was quickly learning that sometimes people would say something that really meant something else, but he still did not completely understand every joke or use of sarcasm. Echo tried to take a step forward, but fell from the ceiling to the ground with a thud, shaking the tree he missed by an inch.

Cole got up, strode over, and hauled him to his feet. Before Echo could express his thanks, Cole started dragging him out of the room.

"Now that most of the decorating is done, I need to show you the _other_ most important part of Christmas!"

"I thought Zane wanted you to move boxes!" Jay shouted after him.

"There's none left!" The Master of Earth yelled back.

Cole led Echo to the Bounty's kitchen and began to run around and pull out ingredients. Flour, sugar, chocolate, as well as bowls and spoons were pulled out of the cupboards and spread on the counter.

"What is this _other_ most important Christmas tradition?" Echo asked, eyeing the baking material.

"Christmas cookies!"

Echo smiled, knowing Cole well enough by now to know how partial he was to food. "I believe it is only your personal preference, Cole."

Cole looked up over the fridge door. "No! Ask anyone!" He ducked back inside the refrigerator. When he stood back up, his arms were piled with milk, eggs, butter, and fruitcake. He kicked the fridge door shut and set all the ingredients on the counter, immediately biting off a chunk of fruitcake.

"Ummmhmm... can 'ou make f'uitcake cookies?" Cole asked around his mouthful.

Echo shrugged. "I do not have such a recipe in my date base."

"Cole, what are you doing?"

They both turned to see Zane standing in the kitchen doorway.

Cole swallowed his mouthful. "Making cookies," he replied nonchalantly.

"You do not know how to make cookies."

Echo looked from Zane to Cole.

"Yes I do."

"I meant edible ones."

"Aw, c'mon, Zane! My cookies aren't that bad!"

Zane shook his head, deciding not to argue so close to the world's most joyful holiday. "May I join you?"

"Now why would I say no?" Cole smiled.

It wasn't long before the warm smell of gingerbread and sugar cookies permeated the kitchen. Cole breathed in the smell wafting up from the tray he'd just taken out of the oven, his eyelids shuttering. The dreamy expression on his face made Echo wish he had the ability to smell and taste, but it was nice to watch his brother enjoy himself all the same.

Cole set the tray of gingerbread cookies on the stovetop while Zane (who had managed to do most of the baking) finished putting the dishes away. Counters clear, Cole grabbed the sugar cookies out of the oven and set them out to cool. By now the room smelled heavenly.

"Are those icing cookies?" Kai asked as he poked his head in. He entered, rubbing his hands. His nose and cheeks were rosy from the biting cold wind on the deck of the Bounty where he'd been stringing lights. Lloyd followed him into the kitchen, his characteristic smirk on his face.

"And gingerbread." Zane said, wiping his hands on a dish towel.

"Pass." Kai glared at the gingerbread men as he walked by. He made his way over to the cupboards. "Bet those would go great with some hot chocolate, though!"

"Just use the stove instead of you elemental powers this time." Cole laughed, chucking the oven mitts at the Master of Fire.

"Ha ha." Kai pulled down some mugs and set them on the counter, each of the glasses clinking against the one next to it. He reached for one of the sugar cookies on the nearby tray.

Zane blocked his hand with his own. "They're still hot."

"Okay." Kai pulled his hand back. Then he grinned. "But hot's my thing!" He lunged past Zane, snatched an entire handful of sugary goodness, and backed away laughing.

"Kai!" Zane scolded, smacking at the red clad thief's wrist a second too late. When he tried to grab his arm on instinct, Kai jumped out of the way, clutching his prize close to his chest. Now everyone was laughing except Zane. Kai, breathless from exhilaration, twisted around the Titanium Ninja and threw two of the cookies over to Lloyd who was laughing his head off and barely managed to catch both of them. With a whoop of joy, he stuffed one into his mouth, crumbs flying out, and backed into the doorway where he felt Zane couldn't reach him.

Zane gave up with a heavy sigh as Kai burned his tongue on his stolen treat and let out a yelp. Despite the brief pain, the fire ninja chuckled with satisfaction and hopped up to sit on the opposite counter while enjoying the rest of his cookies. He offered a rather smooshed one to Cole and Echo, but they both grabbed their own fresh ones from the tray, Cole for the taste, Echo for the fun of sneaking one behind Zane's back.

Kai made the hot chocolate - on the stove - and poured it into the nine mugs. Zane brought out two trays to carry them on, and he and Kai each took one. Echo and Cole carried the cookies they had placed on paper plates and followed their two brothers back to the Tv room where they set everything down on the coffee table. Lloyd had gone to tell his mom and Nya that hot chocolate and cookies were being served. Steam curled off the surface of the liquid chocolate, and coloured light reflected off the glass mugs and plates.

"Something smells good." Sensei said as he entered the room.

"We were baking!" Echo told him, still excited from all the action.

"I can see that." Wu smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling. His staff tapped softly on the floor as he made his way to the table, where he settled cross-legged on the floor. The others followed suit, Zane and Echo kneeling on the carpet and Jay, Kai, and Cole piling onto the couch. Cole snatched up two of each cookie, grabbed his hot cocoa, and leaned back into the couch cushions.

"Don't make me spill!" He warned a squirmy Jay.

"That smells great!" Nya beamed. She ran across the room and jumped onto the couch beside her brother. Misako and Lloyd walked in a second later.

Everyone grabbed their own mugs and baked treats and leaned into one another, warm and content and happy to have each other. Echo wrapped his hands around his hot chocolate and gazed at each of his family members bathed in red, yellow, and blue glow. Nya had squeezed between Kai and Jay, and the lightning ninja was looking at her fondly. Cole had one arm around his best friend while he munched on cookies, Misako leaned against Wu, Lloyd against Misako. Echo leaned against Zane.

He had a family now. Not just Gizmo for company, but brothers, a sister, and a teacher. It was more than he ever wanted, and it felt so wonderful. So safe. So alive.

In that moment as he watched his family talk and laugh and hug each other because they just loved each other _so_ much, Echo knew that from now on Christmas would be his favourite holiday.

Because Christmas was about family. And he had found the greatest family in the world.

Feeling a calm that borderlined on sleepy, Echo suddenly had a thought.

"Zane, is Santa real?"

Zane looked down at the face resting on his shoulder. He opened his mouth to answer when he heard someone grunt loudly and his eye caught movement coming from the couch. He looked over to see Jay frowning and mouthing, 'Of course he is!'

Zane smiled awkwardly. "Ah, yes, of course. Saint Nick exists somewhere..."

Echo smiled, nodded, and closed his eyes, fully content with the answer.

Zane's eyebrow rose and he looked from Echo to Jay.

Jay just smiled smugly.

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 **AN: Also a _HUGE_ shout out to Dr. Fluffmuffin who was my beta reader for this short story. They are an amazing author, so if you like Ninjago and by some miracle have not found their work yet GO READ THEM RIGHT NOW. :D You won't regret it!**

 **Did you catch my disdain for Misako near the beginning under the mistletoe? XD And Kai's disdain for gingerbread men? Also, I was reading through my notes, and originally I had the idea of Echo asking why Santa never visited the lighthouse, but scrapped it immediately for being too sad.**

 **Thank you everyone who made the time to read this. It really means a lot. Please feel free to leave a review if you liked it (or if you didn't.) Have a VERY merry Christmas everyone!**


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